


Truths

by crackshellcabrera (DistantShenanigans)



Series: Fenton is a Dad AU [3]
Category: DuckTales (Cartoon 2017), Legend of the Three Caballeros (Cartoon)
Genre: Blood Magic, Fix-It of Sorts, Friends With Benefits, M/M, Magic, Post-Canon, Pre-Slash
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-30
Updated: 2018-08-30
Packaged: 2019-07-04 10:45:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,993
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15839637
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DistantShenanigans/pseuds/crackshellcabrera
Summary: Panchito kept it a secret, because he wanted to protect them. He then said it was an assistant job.He could never tell them the truth.But Lena changes everything, just like last time Panchito met her.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> unbetad and some dark themes later on, but generally in the same tone of both shows. uploading via phone, too.
> 
> This is SUPPOSED to go side by side with Secrets, though it's technically after the major events of that, since secrets is during canon, and this is post canon.
> 
> warning for Panchito slicing his hand open in this chapter.
> 
>  **Edit:** I made some edits/additions to this chapter, in order for chapter 2 to make sense.

Panchito stretched, as he laid in the bed at McDuck Manor. Donald was living with his uncle again, which had surprised him, and Jose, when Donald told them, a few months back. At least he, Jose and Donald were together again, and the triplets were happy to see Jose and Panchito.

He hadn’t thought they’d remember Jose, let alone him. He’d not been there as often as Jose had been, not since Panchito’s job at the time was constantly taking him all over (and he’d never tell them what his job had been, since even he didn’t like remembering the dark time of following a witch around, learning magicks that even Magica de Spell didn’t know of, or wouldn’t touch).

“Tio ‘Chito, what’s this?” Huey asked, and Panchito looked over the small duckling. He was holding-

“Don’t open it!” He cried, leaping up from the bed, and snatching the book from the kid's hands.

Nobody needed to know about his magic, especially not the pieces of blood magic he had done before.

Still, it had saved lives, even if blood magic was considered  _ evil _ amongst most circles.

“Hey, I was just asking!” Huey complained, crossing his arms over his chest, clearly disappointed.

“Lo siento, amigo.” Panchito replied, “It’s just- this book is… unfitting, for… eyes.” Huey narrowed his eyes.

“Kid eyes or adult eyes?”

“Yes.” Panchito replied.

“... Are you a porn novelist in disguise?” Huey asked, and Panchito’s eyes widened.

“Why would I write porn?” He asked.

“Because Tio Jose said you’re single and not getting any.” Huey said.

“I- wait, how do you know what porn is?” Panchito asked.

“Lena told me.” Huey replied, and Panchito thought about the kids he had met the other night, when he and Jose had arrived at the manor.

There was no Lena on that list.

“Who is Lena?”

“Oh, she’s, uh… Well… It’s… You see… She’s Webby best friend - best  _ girl _ friend, at least - and she’d been Magica’s niece apparently, and then she turned into a shadow because Magica escaped the dime and killed her mortal body or something and then she sacrificed herself to save Webby and now I’m  _ pretty _ sure she’s Webby’s shadow, like Magica had been hers, but I’m not too sure.” Huey said, and Panchito stared at him.

It was impossible, there was no  _ way _ Fate would hand him a second chance.

“I… can fix this.” He said, opening his book and flipping through the pages. If what the boy said was true, he would do what he failed to do last time. “Aha!”

_ Giving shadows a life _ stared back at him.

“Wha- no way! You’re magic!” Huey cried, peeking over his shoulder. Panchito slammed his book shut.

“Mildly. I was an assistant to a witch, back in the day.” He replied, and it pained him to lie to his honorary nephew.

“Which is why you didn’t think we’d remember you.” Huey said, and Panchito smiled sadly.

=0=0=0=last night=0=0=0=

_ “Wow, I did not think they’d remember me!” _

_ “Of course I remember you!” Huey cried, hugging him tightly. “You only sang to me every night until I was four! Even over the phone, when you were away at work!” _

_ “Yeah! And Tio Jose always carried me under his arm like a football!” Louie grinned, even as Jose did just that. _

_ “And you guys always tucked us in, every night! Always! Even when Tio Panchito wasn’t around, you’d guys let us call him so you could all say goodnight!” Dewey added, having climbed onto Jose’s back. _

_ Panchito did remember all those nights, all those phone calls, crying and saying sorry to his friends that he couldn’t be there. But he could not drag them into the mess he’d been thrown into since birth. _

=0=0=0=

“I… yes.” He admitted to the young duckling. “I… hadn’t wanted, to take the job, but she paid well, and I learned some magic along the way.” It was the same lie he had told Xandra was his cover story, even if she hated that he was lying to his Caballeros.

“Like magic to give a shadow girl a body?” Huey asked.

“Ehh… Maybe. It says to give shadow a life, but magic is only half exact.” Panchito replied, getting up. “What time is it, mi hijo?”

“Later than I usually get up, but Dewey and Louie are still asleep.” Huey replied, “Around six thirty. School starts at eight.”

“Right.” Panchito changed, and noticed Huey said nothing at the binder Panchito was wearing - and had worn to bed last night.

Jose and Donald were both already up and gone, Panchito noticed, and he snorted. Of course they were; they knew the boys were going to wake them up, and if they’d all been in the same bed, it’d have been an awkward explanation to the kids, unless Donald had already told them.

He doubted that, though.

How does one explain  _ friends with benefits _ \- with the benefits usually being cuddling - to their ten year old nephews?

“Let's get breakfast, eh?” He asked, and Huey nodded, and led Panchito to the dining room. Jose and Donald were talking to Scrooge about immigration - something that had always been a dream to Jose and Panchito - and Webby was writing something down.

“Uncle Donald, Tio Jose, did you guys know Panchito was an assistant to a witch?” Huey asked, and Panchito felt his heart stop, as the whole room silenced.

“Well, now they do, mi hijo.” Panchito said, and he’d been hoping to avoid having to lie to his friends.

“I had suspicions, amigo.” Jose said, waving his hand calmly. “I told them to Donal’.”

“Wha- why never confront me?” Panchito asked, a bit hurt. At least then he would have known which cover story to use for them fully.

“No proof, and you were always checking in, for  _ you _ , not us. We figured you didn't really want the job.” Donald replied.

“I didn't.” Panchito sighed, sitting on Donald’s other side. That much, at least, was true.

“So we let it go. We knew you would come home when you were able.” Jose leaned over and pat Panchito's hand.

“Though… I may have a way to save someone…? Huey called her Lena?” Panchito asked, and Webby let out a cry.

“You can save Lena!?” She cried, “But how!? She’s gone!”

“Actually, I think she might be your shadow?” Huey said, “I don’t really know for sure, though!” It was most likely; his girl was strong, and stubborn, and more than that, she was loyal to those she truly cared about.

Even if she’s forced to hurt them.

“Doesn’t matter! I just need a magical conductor that she’s tied to, or was tied to. And some people willing to be her parents.” Panchito said, “I already have… the other part, handled.”

He was not going to mention the blood. Not until he was  _ forced _ to do so.

“Well, we’ve faced worse than a teenager. I vote the three caballeros become her parents!” Jose said, and Donald snorted.

“I’m already a parent. To hyperactive triplets.”

“You know what I mean!” Jose said, waving his hand as if to brush the comment off.

“Oh I was already going to be part of that, it’s the spell caster clause.” Panchito said, “I just need someone to co-parent; or at least donate a second parent biology to help with the body forming thing.” Which was difficult, and why it hadn’t worked last time. Panchito had just thought she had died, when he woke up trapped in the snowglobe he had bought Lena a few weeks after meeting her.

“Would two others work?” Donald asked, and Panchito smiled.

He had a feeling both would be more than willing to co-parent with him. After all, he had certainly been willing to co-parent the boys, before money and immigration got in the way of him and Jose moving permanently to the country. At the very least, he knew they’d be willing to donate the biology needed, even if they decided to abandon them, should they found out it was blood magic.

“Magic is strange, there can be three biological donations.” He replied, “It makes the magic stronger, for whatever reason.”

“What do you need, lad? Besides them and a conductor?” Scrooge asked, eyes narrowing. Wary of magic, Panchito was sure. Wary of Panchito, no doubt. He’d hoped the old duck didn’t recognize him, and the rooster wasn’t sure if he had or not. After all, Scrooge had most certainly been quiet for most of this talk.

“Privacy, and time. Growing a new person is exhausting.” Panchito said, “Though, to be fair, I’d been doing it alone last time.” It came out, before he could stop it.

“Last- have you done this before?” Huey asked, as Donald and Jose cried, “ _ You have a kid!? _ ” He thought quickly, and used half the truth.

“Once, it was… horrible. I almost died, and… the poor child did not survive.” Panchito said, expression turning hurt. That much, he had originally been sure of. “At least he does not suffer being in shadow limbo, anymore.” Change the pronouns - protect Lena.

He was grateful, when Jose moved from Donald’s other side, and his two lovers hugged him tightly.

“That… That’s not going to happen to Lena… is it?” Webby asked.

“Oh, with Jose and Donald helping me, there’s a good chance it won’t. Like…. Ninety eight percent chance of success!” Panchito replied, “I was alone last time because the witch cast a curse on a little boy’s shadow, and ran off with the child. I spent a good month tracking her and the child, with mi hijo following me as a shadow. I found them, or well, the little boy. He was dead, by then, though, so I thought, maybe the shadow would help the parents? It… did not go well, as I said.” It was another lie, but if Lena  _ was _ Webby’s shadow now, she would hear it, and keep to it.

“You said you almost died, along with the child.” Scrooge said, frowning.

“I was found, and put in a hospital. There was a lot of speculation on if I murdered two children or not, but authorities came to the conclusion I was trying to save them - especially when the boy’s parents mentioned I’d been trying to find their son for them.” Panchito replied, “I was released about several months later.” Which was a lie, completely. He’d been trapped - trapped in a small, cold little snowglobe that was a mockery of his home country.

“Which explains why you never called or wrote to us.” Jose said, “You were unable to.”

“That explains the few months, not the year after it!” Donald said, frowning.

“Uh, yeah, hospitals are expensive.” Panchito hated to be lying, especially so much. He was sure he’d get caught, but he wasn’t ready for it. He wasn’t ready to tell them everything. Not now, not when he was barely awake, and full of anxiety. “I’m  _ still _ working on paying off the bills, and it had been years ago! I was really bad off, amigos! I was in a coma for at least a month!” That much had been true; Lena had confirmed that to him, when she carried him around, after he woke up.

“How have you never told us this?” Jose asked, clearly hurt, as Donald tensed at the statement.

“Eh, it didn’t seem as important as the boys.” Panchito replied. That much was true. His life was never as important as the triplets’.

“But you’re our family too, Tio ‘Chito!” Huey said, running around the table to hug him.

“He’s right, Panchi, you should have told us.” Donald said, and Panchito felt his heart ache.

He’d thought he’d lose them, if he’d told them about his magic, or about, well, everything.

He still could, if he told them everything.

“... Can… Can you really save Lena…?” Webby asked, and Panchito looked at the young girl. She looked so  _ lost _ , and yet hopeful, and Panchito smiled sadly.

“I can try.” He promised, and she smiled back, unsure.

He started once the triplets went to school, and Webby handed her bracelet to him, before her grandmother herded her off.

Jose and Donald handed him a feather from each of them, and he moved to a spare bedroom that Scrooge had set up for the ritual (though not before threatening Panchito, of course).

He grabbed the small knife from his boot, and cut his right palm open. He let the blood ooze for a moment, before he made a fist, coating his fingers in his own blood.

He looked at his book, determination on his face and in his eyes, before he began drawing the large circular symbol on the floor.

He'd clean it, before anyone saw it. Nobody needed to know about this being blood magic.

Once he finished the symbol, he drew a few smaller ones, inside the large one. He placed the bracelet, and the feathers, in the middle, and squeezed his hand again, forcing the blood to ooze again, and drip into the pile.

He said a few latin words, and prayed it worked.

He blacked out, when he felt the familiar choking feeling around his lungs, and heart.

=0=0=0=

Panchito woke up in a bed, tucked in and his hand wrapped up. He didn't remember how he got there, but he did remember trying to bring his girl back.

He sat up, realizing he had been moved.

“I cleaned the blood up.” A young voice said, and Panchito turned his head. A young teenager was sitting on the floor, curled up.

“Lo siento… Lena?” He asked, hoping he was right. It certainly looked like his Lena. She looked up at him, and smiled.

“Yes… I… thank you. For never giving up on me.” Panchito smiled, expression soft.

“I will never give up on you, mi hija.” He promised, and the fourteen year old slammed into him, hugging him tightly. He hugged her back, just as tightly.

It had been too long, since he'd seen her.

They left the bedroom together, just in time for dinner, and upon entering the dining room, everyone quieted.

“Um… hi?” Lena offered, and Panchito knew the speck of colour in her bangs from Jose and Panchito was throwing them off more, than if she'd looked as she had before Panchito brought her home. He knew they were used to her bangs being dyed purple, rather than having a speck of green, blue, and red in them.

He smiled, when Webby launched herself over the table, and hugged Lena.

Donald and Jose were next to him immediately, though, and Jose pulled his bandaged hand up, and both of them gave him a worried and hurt look.

“ _ We are having a talk later, Panchito _ .” Jose told him in Spanish, and he cringed, but nodded.

“ _ Until then, let's focus on our daughter. _ ” Donald replied, and Panchito felt his heart tighten.

They were still willing to help him, despite knowing more of the truth.

That was all that mattered, for now.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Panchito has a talk with his fellow Caballeros.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah I added some stuff to chapter 1 to make more sense, so go re-read that please, if you read it when I first originally uploaded it through my phone!
> 
> This is short and, hopefully, sweet, since I didn't like how it meshed with what was originally gonna be chapter 2, so I broke it up, and this was the only way I was happy with breaking it up. -shrug-

“The truth, amigo, if you'd please. And not the one you told us earlier.” Jose said, as the three laid together, curled up. Panchito was between his two fellow caballeros, and sighed,  head on Donald’s chest as they cuddled. Lena was in Webby's room, having a sleepover, apparently. The two girls had hardly separated, since this morning.

“Well… You want the truth I tell others or the truth Xandra forced out of me?” Panchito asked.

“You know which one, Panchi.” Donald said, and Panchito sighed again.

“My family, we're descendants of the ancient Aztec warriors who were tasked with stopping evil magic users. I was dispatched to fight Magica. I… didn't want to. I ran off.” Panchito said, “And then we got the inheritance, and I found out Felldrake was part of the line of magic users my family was focusing on stopping. When we died, I… I decided after Felldrake, I wouldn't put you two in more danger. That's how they died, you know? My ancestor took yours to face someone else, that he was meant to stop. I didn't want to get you two killed, when I faced Magica.”

“But Uncle Scrooge…?” Donald sounded confused, and Panchito groaned.

“I ran away from my family duty. Scrooge and Magica had a warring past, by the time I ran back to my duty. He needed help, though. I told him my name was Panchito Pistoles, and he let me help him. It helped that he didn't know about us Caballeros, and if he did, I used my ancestor’s name.” Panchito replied, “I helped him trap her in his dime.”

“And the blood magic?” Jose was changing topic, a bit, knowing Panchito was upset. He was always good at knowing his and Donald’s moods.

“Aztec. They used blood sacrifices, and my family turned to blood magic, when the first of Magica and Felldrake's line started going loco.” Panchito replied, “I grew up with magic, especially blood magic. I only know two spells for it, though. I don't like it much.”

“You lied to us.” Donald sounded so hurt, and Panchito's heart ached.

“I wanted to protect you… And to forget…” He said softly. “Lo siento.”

“No more lying. Any more, tell us now, and we'll let it go.” Jose said.

“... There is more… but I'm not ready to talk about it. Lo siento.” Panchito said, voice cracking. “But please, don't make me talk about it now.”

He didn't want to talk about being trapped, for those years he was out of contact with his fellow caballeros.

“... Alright.” Donald said, “Take your time, so long as you do tell us.”

“I will, I promise.” Panchito promised, and Jose and Donald scooted forward more, squishing Panchito between them.

Panchito fell asleep with tears in his eyes, and wrapped up in the arms of his fellow Caballeros.

Tomorrow, he'd tell them, he decided.

**Author's Note:**

> Comments fuel me and my aus.


End file.
